Yoga For Intimacy Darwin
Yoga for intimacy and libido: the short answer
It is a topic many of us avoid, yet low desire, dryness and less satisfaction are common in midlife, and they are normal. So can intimacy yoga help? Small studies suggest it may help a little. A 2024 review of 10 trials with 730 adults, mostly women, found a small improvement in sexual function with yoga, though the evidence was of low certainty. Here is what the studies found, what they could not show, and how you might try a class in Darwin, NT or online. Yoga is not a treatment for sexual problems, and persistent pain or loss of desire is a reason to talk to your doctor.
Iyengar yoga is the style developed by Mr BKS Iyengar. In the 20th century he did more than anyone to set down traditional Indian yoga, through his books and his teaching, and he pioneered the use of props. It is sometimes called modern classical yoga, and it’s the style we teach at Flametree. This page sits in our menopause and women’s health notes.
Yoga for intimacy and libido in short form
- 2024 review: 10 trials, 730 adults, a small improvement in sexual function, low-certainty evidence.
- Dhikav 2009: 40 women, 12 weeks, scores up in all six areas, no comparison group.
- Pelvic floor trial 2024: yoga added to pelvic floor exercises helped at once, not a month later.
- Why it might help: less stress, more body awareness, ease in hips and back.
- Pelvic floor: the aim is the right tension, not just strength.
- Men: a 2024 scoping review of 10 studies, with more research needed.
- Care first: talk to your doctor about persistent pain or loss of desire.
- Next step: try a class, in the studio or LIVE online.
A supported pose over a chair and folded blankets. The props take the effort out so the body can rest.
Why might yoga change desire and intimacy?
Researchers think stress, body awareness and ease in the body may all play a part. These are ideas the studies raise, not proven causes.
Stress less, desire more
When stress is high, desire often drops. Chronic stress affects hormones and mood, and can make it hard to feel in the mood. Slow breathing, relaxation and mindful movement are central to Iyengar yoga, and many women find they ease worry and low mood. Our note on yoga for mood, anxiety and depression looks at the research.
A body that feels more at home
The authors of the 2024 review note that yoga may increase blood flow, build muscle strength and improve how we perceive our bodies, all of which relate to sexual function. Poses that ease tension in the hips, thighs and lower back may also make intimacy more comfortable. That is the reasoning, not a finding.
Confidence and connection
On the mat you learn to be present and to appreciate your body as it is. As strength builds and posture improves, many people say their confidence grows. One Flametree student, 54, told Chris: “Yoga gave me my spark back.” That is one woman’s experience, shared without her name, and not a research finding.
What do the studies actually show?
The studies are small and mostly of low certainty, and they point the same way. Here are the main ones, with their limits.
The 2024 review of 10 trials
Rodrigues and colleagues in Brazil pooled 10 randomised trials with 730 adults (93% women) that compared yoga with no intervention. Yoga was linked with a small, significant improvement in sexual function. The effect was larger in women, in healthy people and in middle-aged adults. The reviewers rated the certainty of the evidence as low and called for larger, better trials (Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice, 2024).
The Dhikav study, 2009
Dhikav and colleagues in New Delhi followed 40 women aged 22 to 55 through a 12 week yoga programme, using the Female Sexual Function Index (a standard questionnaire). Scores improved in all six areas: desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction and pain. The gains were bigger in women over 45. A Harvard Health summary reports that nearly 75% said they were more satisfied with their sex lives. The study was small and had no comparison group, so we cannot tell how much was due to yoga (Journal of Sexual Medicine, 2009).
Yoga added to pelvic floor exercises, 2024
In an Iranian trial, 46 women of reproductive age did pelvic floor exercises at home, and 21 of them also did yoga twice a week for 6 weeks. Straight afterwards, the yoga group had better sexual function and sexual self-esteem scores. A month later, the difference was no longer clear (International Journal of Community Based Nursing and Midwifery, 2024).
Studies in men
A 2024 scoping review (a broad survey of the research) looked at 10 studies of yoga in men with erectile dysfunction or premature ejaculation. It found yoga looked helpful, more so for premature ejaculation, and called for more robust studies (Cureus, 2024).
What about the pelvic floor?
The goal is the right level of tension in the pelvic floor, not simply a stronger one. Too tight can be as unhelpful as too loose. Iyengar yoga works on posture and on the muscles of the hips, back and abdomen, and teachers can guide how you release as well as hold. Ask your teacher, and talk to your doctor or a pelvic health physiotherapist if you have ongoing pain or leaking.
Triangle Pose (Trikonasana), a standing pose that builds strength in the legs and an easy, upright posture.
Intimacy yoga in Darwin, NT: how to try it
Flametree Yoga Studio teaches Iyengar yoga in Darwin and LIVE online, with Senior Iyengar Yoga Teacher and certified yoga therapist Christine (Chris) Lalor. There is no need to say why you have come: tell the teacher about anything you want to protect, and the poses can be adapted. For classes designed for women, see our page on female yoga classes, and for the menstrual cycle, yoga for periods.
Menopause brings its own changes. Our notes on yoga for menopause and on yoga and hormones go further.
Practise this at Flametree
Flametree Yoga Studio teaches Iyengar yoga in the studio at Woolner and Coolalinga in Darwin, and LIVE online.
- New to Flametree? Your first class is free. In the studio, just come along. Online, go to our online class list, click the class time you want and we email you the link to join.
- Beginners: new students, and anyone who has been away three months or more, can get a half price 10 class pass with 2 extra classes free, to use online, in the studio, or both. See the beginner half price pass.
- Already practising yoga? The same half price 10 class pass with 2 extra classes free, for new students and for anyone away three months or more, is also available as the non-beginner half price pass.
- See every class time, including online classes, on the timetable.
Can’t make a class? Practise at home with our video courses.
Yoga for intimacy and libido: frequently asked questions
Does yoga improve sexual function?
A little, according to the best summary so far. A 2024 review of 10 randomised trials with 730 adults, mostly women, found a small improvement in sexual function with yoga compared with no intervention. The certainty of the evidence was low, so it is hopeful rather than proven.
Can yoga help with low libido in menopause?
Some small studies suggest it may help with desire and satisfaction, but the evidence is limited. A 2009 study of 40 women aged 22 to 55 found scores improved in desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction and pain after 12 weeks of yoga, with the biggest gains in women over 45. It had no comparison group. If low desire or pain is ongoing, talk to your doctor.
Why might yoga affect desire and intimacy?
Researchers think the reasons may include less stress, better body awareness, more strength and ease in the hips and pelvic floor, and better blood flow. These are ideas the studies raise, not proven causes. Stress is a common reason for low desire, and slow breathing and relaxation are core parts of Iyengar yoga.
Does yoga strengthen the pelvic floor?
The aim in Iyengar yoga is the right level of tension in the pelvic floor, not too tight and not too loose. In a 2024 trial of 46 women, adding yoga to pelvic floor exercises gave better sexual function scores straight after 6 weeks, but no clear difference a month later.
What does the research say about yoga for men?
It is limited. A 2024 scoping review of 10 studies in men with erectile dysfunction or premature ejaculation found yoga looked helpful, more so for premature ejaculation, and called for more robust research. Talk to your doctor about any ongoing problem.
Is yoga a treatment for sexual problems?
No. Yoga can support wellbeing, and small studies suggest it may help sexual function, but it is not a treatment for sexual dysfunction. Talk to your doctor about persistent pain, loss of desire or other concerns.
What did the Dhikav study find, and how strong is it?
A 2009 study by Dhikav and colleagues in New Delhi gave 40 women aged 22 to 55 a 12 week yoga programme and measured sexual function before and after. Scores improved in all six areas, and a Harvard Health summary reports that nearly 75% said they were more satisfied with their sex lives. It was small and had no control group, so it cannot show that yoga caused the change.
What yoga can I do for intimacy and confidence?
Studies used regular yoga programmes over several weeks, rather than one special pose. Standing poses build strength and posture, and supported poses and slow breathing help you relax. A teacher can adapt the poses to your body, in the studio or LIVE online.
Where can I try yoga for intimacy and wellbeing in Darwin?
Flametree Yoga Studio teaches Iyengar yoga at Woolner and Coolalinga in Darwin and LIVE online, with Senior Iyengar Yoga Teacher Christine (Chris) Lalor. In Darwin, your first class is free if you are new to Flametree (in the studio, if you have lived in the NT for three months or more; online, anyone new).
This article is general information, not medical advice. Yoga is not a treatment for sexual problems. Talk to your doctor about persistent pain or loss of desire. Flametree Yoga Studio, Darwin and live online. Flametree acknowledges the traditional custodians of the lands on which we teach yoga, as well as all First Australians.
Sources: Rodrigues AMBP and colleagues, Does yoga improve sexual function? A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials, Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice, 2024, doi 10.1016/j.ctcp.2024.101864. Dhikav V and colleagues, Yoga in female sexual functions, Journal of Sexual Medicine, 2009, doi 10.1111/j.1743-6109.2009.01580.x, with the Harvard Health summary Yoga may help improve women’s sexual function. Tabatabaie NS and colleagues, The effect of yoga and pelvic floor muscle exercise on sexual function and sexual self-esteem of reproductive-age women, International Journal of Community Based Nursing and Midwifery, 2024, doi 10.30476/IJCBNM.2024.101743.2441. Bhat S and colleagues, Is yoga an effective intervention for erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation? A scoping review, Cureus, 2024, doi 10.7759/cureus.53265. The studies were found through PubMed.
